The One Year Daily Insights with Zig Ziglar.

by Zig Ziglar.

Dwight "Ike" Reighard.

To Paige Patterson, my longtime friend and confidant, who has had a major impact on my life as he's guided me through some pitfalls along the way. I love and respect Paige Patterson and am grateful he took an interest in me as a new and growing Christian.

-ZIG ZIGLAR.

I would like to thank Pat Springle, my writing partner for over ten years, and Donna Monroe, my executive a.s.sistant and friend of over twenty years. And to the four girls in my life: Robin-for over twenty-five years as my friend and the best wife ever! Abigail-thanks for being my writing partner and thought generator on this project. Danielle and Addi-thank you, my lovely daughter, for blessing all of us with a granddaughter who delights us each and every day!

-DR. IKE REIGHARD.

INTRODUCTION.

IN 1985, AS A GUEST SPEAKER at a megachurch in Dallas, Texas, I quoted Zig Ziglar from his book See You at the Top in my message on overcoming giants in your life. After the service, a tall, thin, immaculately dressed gentleman approached me and said, "I really liked what you had to say about Zig Ziglar." I replied by asking, "Oh, are you a Zig fan?" The "fan" paused for a moment before he said, "I am Zig Ziglar!" To my astonishment (and embarra.s.sment), I had met one of my heroes!

Long before I ever met Zig Ziglar in person, his book See You at the Top inspired me to make significant changes in my life. I began setting goals. One of the first was to graduate from college. Zig's influence in my life through that book continued as I earned a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a doctorate.

After I had met Zig and as our friendship grew, I began receiving regular Sat.u.r.day morning calls from him that have been a great blessing in my life. As Zig prepared to teach his Sunday morning Bible cla.s.s, he would go over his ideas for his lesson. I soon became his "pastor in residence" and amateur theologian. As we spoke of the week's pa.s.sage from Scripture, I would use my background in biblical studies to give him context and socioeconomic, geographical, and spiritual implications from my personal studies. Sat.u.r.day mornings with Zig became not just a ritual but a blessing that I will treasure forever.

Our long-standing friendship has been featured in two books: Sheltering Trees, by Donna VanLiere and Eddie Carswell, and Over the Top, Zig's sequel to See You at the Top. Zig used my story of becoming "a meaningful specific" rather than "a wandering generality."

We bonded from the beginning, and what ensued was an unequaled relationship that-other than my relationship with Jesus Christ-has helped shape me as a husband, a father, a Christian, and an inspirational speaker.

-DR. IKE REIGHARD.

I ASKED IKE to write this book with me because I have valued and trusted his spiritual discernment and his biblical counsel for many years now. I believe you will benefit, as I have, from the wisdom and knowledge that Ike Reighard brings to this book. Between the two of us, you will find quotes, memory verses, and thought-provoking daily insights into our beloved Word of G.o.d. It is our prayer that these daily devotions will encourage you and lead you into a more intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

-ZIG ZIGLAR.

January.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31.

JANUARY 1.

ONE THING.

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of G.o.d in Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14.

PAUL WAS THE GREATEST leader in the history of the church, but he wasn't c.o.c.ky. He knew he was still a work in progress. Paul's days were filled with starting churches, managing leaders, and taking the gospel to everyone in the known world, but he reduced his job description to "one thing." interpret We'd his comments in management terms as the rigorous commitment to a singular objective that has two parts: not dwelling on the past, but reaching ahead to achieve the vision of the future.

The past can bog us down in two distinctly different ways: Some of us feel ashamed by failures in our personal lives or in business, and our minds are haunted by those memories. Every decision we make is colored by our grief and the fear that we'll make the same mistake again. Others of us, though, live in past glories. We've enjoyed stunning success, but instead of using our gains as a foundation for future growth, we keep reliving those memories. Living in the past, whether failed or successful, takes our lives out of focus. Paul says, "Forget the past and move on."

In which direction should we move? We should reach forward to fulfill the vision G.o.d has for us. Paul encourages us to uncover and embrace a G.o.d-sized cause, one that has a positive impact on people and expands His Kingdom. We can have causes like that at work, in our neighborhoods, and at home, as well as at church.

As you begin this New Year, focus on Paul's "one thing."

What are some past failures or successes you need to leave behind?

Is there a G.o.d-sized cause that has gripped your heart? Explain your answer.

"The day our memories become larger than our dreams is the day our soul begins to shrink."-IKE REIGHARD "Discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, and the day will come when you will be able to do the things you want to do when you want to do them."-ZIG ZIGLAR

JANUARY 2.

WRITE IT DOWN!.

The LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it."

HABAKKUK 2:2-3.

SOME OF US WANDER from one thing to another our whole lives. We're capable of so much more, but we have never clarified our purpose in life. An out-of-focus purpose can't inspire us, but a crystal-clear lens on G.o.d's purpose for us rivets our attention and gives us energy to keep going until we reach our goals. While the prophet Habakkuk was in prayer, G.o.d told him to write down the vision He was giving him. In that day, scribes used a stylus to etch words into blocks of clay. It took work, so they thought carefully about what they wanted to write in order to avoid wasting time and tablets.

We need to write our vision down in clear, compelling language so that it grips our hearts. A clearly written vision statement frees us from confusion so that we can "run" instead of wander, stumble, or go backward. A clear vision overcomes inertia and produces the inspiration to run toward our goals.

But the fulfillment of our vision, G.o.d tells the prophet, is in His timing, not ours. Seldom does anyone move in a straight line from the conception of a dream to its fulfillment. Far more often, we experience ups and downs, delays, and disappointments. These, though, won't stop us if we keep our eyes on our purpose and on the One who has given it to us.

Do you have a clear, compelling vision statement?

What would it (or does it) mean to you to have one?

"We grow by dreams. All big men are big dreamers. Some of us let dreams die, but others nourish and protect them, nurse them through bad days . . . to the sunshine and light which always comes."-WOODROW WILSON

JANUARY 3.

G.o.d'S DREAM FOR OUR LIVES

King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

ACTS 26:19.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE DREAMS of wealth, popularity, power, and ease, but there's another kind of dream that's even more powerful and far more fulfilling: finding and following G.o.d's dream for our lives When the apostle Paul stood before the king to explain why he had followed his path, he could have described the pros and cons of each decision along the way. But pros and cons didn't determine Paul's direction. Paul had a G.o.d-given vision, and he aligned his life to fulfill it. That was his defense before the king. A compelling dream will generate the obedience to push past our fears.

All pursuits promise to fill our lives with meaning, but only G.o.d can transform us, fill us, challenge us, and give our lives ultimate purpose. G.o.d gave His all, and He demands our all. In perhaps the most loved devotional book in the English language, Oswald Chambers wrote, "The only way to be obedient to the heavenly vision is to give our utmost for His highest-our best for His glory. This can be accomplished only when we make a determination to continually remember G.o.d's vision."[1] The paradox of the Christian life is that when we live unreservedly for G.o.d, we find true fulfillment ourselves. Don't be disobedient to the dream G.o.d has given you.

How clear is G.o.d's dream for your life right now?

Is any fear holding you back from accomplishing this dream? If so, what is it? How will you push past it?

"Attempt great things for G.o.d and expect great things from G.o.d."-WILLIAM CAREY

JANUARY 4.

DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS.

All the gifted artisans among them who worked on the tabernacle made ten curtains woven of fine linen, and of blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim they made them.

EXODUS 36:8.

THE "GIFTED ARTISANS" were able to use their G.o.d-given gifts to help build the Tabernacle. G.o.d has also given each of us abilities that we can use to fulfill our G.o.d-given dreams. Certainly, training is important, but we won't get too far if we rely only on training. All of us know people who received lots of training, but they don't have much competence for their jobs. They grind out work day after day, gritting their teeth until Friday afternoon and dreading Monday mornings. Some of us might be those people!

Don't focus on your weaknesses; focus on your strengths. When your work responsibilities fit your G.o.d-given abilities, you're in the jet stream of accomplishment. You're far more creative, more energetic, more relaxed, and more willing to help others who need a hand.

Some of us have been caught in dead-end jobs for years, and we've lost hope of ever finding something that fulfills us. Certainly, G.o.d can take us through valleys from time to time to teach us important lessons, but life need not be a perpetual valley. We cannot be pa.s.sive. We need to take initiative to uncover our latent talents and use them with all our hearts. It's not optional. Someday, we will stand before G.o.d to give an account of our time here on earth. On that day, He will ask us how we used the talents He gave us. I want to hear Him say, "Well done!" Don't you?

What are the activities and responsibilities that rev your engine?

What do you need to do to refine your career so that your job fits your G.o.d-given talents?

"Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort. There must be a will to produce a superior thing."-JOHN RUSKIN

JANUARY 5.

EXCELLENCE WHERE YOU ARE.

Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Also next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

NEHEMIAH 3:8.

SOMETIMES, G.o.d'S DESIRE for us is to do our very best even though we don't quite fit the job. When Nehemiah went back to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the city and restore dignity to G.o.d's people, the place was in terrible shape. His job looked hopeless, but Nehemiah believed G.o.d could do the impossible. He rallied the people and put them to work carrying stones, framing doors, and defending one another from attacks.

Through the chapters of Nehemiah's story, we find people pitching in where they were needed. They didn't ask HR to fit them perfectly to their job; they just rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Uzziel was a master goldsmith, but when he was asked to carry huge rocks, he never complained. He just worked. And next to him, Hananiah carried stones too. This guy's regular work was making perfume, not slinging mortar, swinging a hammer, or lugging rocks! But he worked hard next to the goldsmith.

Perhaps those around you complain when their work doesn't perfectly match their skills. Don't let their att.i.tude poison you. Instead, roll up your sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the job done. You'll win the trust of your boss and the respect of your peers-and you might even enjoy it! When you do more than you're paid to do, you'll be paid more for what you do.

What are you tempted to complain about at work?

How long should you do a job that doesn't fit you?